Nash Takes Vancouver, Game 4

Going to keep it short today, as the Canadians are playing the Russians tonight. Should be a good one. [UPDATE: Rick Nash has been moved to a line with Jonathan Toews and Mike Richards.  Again, go figure.]

Maybe Rick Nash should get called out by reporters more often. On the same day that Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star blisters him (and the Columbus Blue Jackets!), Nash goes and scores his first-ever Olympic goal as part of the reconstituted World Championship line of Nash, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.  The Canadians escaped the Loser Bracket by thrashing Germany and now are in the top eight - back in contention for Olympic Gold.

Let's hope, for the Captain's sake, that the floodgates are now open. It'll be a "just in the nick of time" scenario as Team Canada will have its hands full with Ovechkin & Co., and Canada will take every goal it can get.  (And I need 6 more in this tournament to reach my prediction in the DBJ Rick Nash Olympic Goal Scoring Contest!)

Puck Daddy also dropped an interesting tidbit about Nash's potential in the Russia game:

Rick Nash was dropped from the Sidney Crosby(notes) line to the Ryan Getzlaf/Corey Perry duo; the result was a tough, dangerous line that could be used to neutralize the Alex Ovechkin/Evgeni Malkin/Alex Semin line. Babcock likes to use power vs. power, and the Anaheim Ducks forwards have shown they're up for that challenge; ask the San Jose Sharks about that.

Our star player is now an Olympic grinder/banger. Whatever it takes, I suppose...